In an 80-cap international career, he scored 24 goals and played at three consecutive World Cups, helping Poland to 3rd place in 1982 and making the Team of the Tournament. His greatest achievements in club football were at Juventus in Italy, winning the 1985 European Cup.

In the early 1990s he managed several Italian clubs, and also the Polish national team in 2002.

As the head of Polish football he is hugely popular with supporters due to his view on decriminalising football fans and in favour of legalising pyrotechnics inside stadiums, which is common ultras practice.[2]

As a player, Boniek was known for his blistering pace and acceleration. He was one of the best dribblers of his time and also displayed superb technique. The Juventus president Gianni Agnelli nicknamed him Bello di notte ("Beauty at night", which is a play on the title of the Buñuel movie Belle de Jour) because of his performances in European club tournament matches, which were played in the evening. Boniek was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers and by FIFA as one of the 100 best-ever players. On 12 October 2009, he received a Golden Foot career award.[3]

Boniek has served as vice-president of the Polish Football Association, and in July 2002 he became the manager of Poland. He resigned in December 2002, after just five matches (2 wins, 1 draw, 2 defeats, including a 1–0 home loss against Latvia in a European Championship qualifier).

Honduran international footballer Óscar Boniek García was given the middle name Boniek in honour of Zbigniew Boniek.[6] García chose to have the name "Boniek" written across the back of his jersey while playing for Houston.